Believe me, I get it. Something makes you wanna take that next step. Are you seeing way too many of those 26.2 stickers driving around town? I understand. For me, the insanity creep in after pacing a friend at the White Rock Marathon. At the end I thought, ” I feel so good I could run another 10″. Light…Bulb !

Well, here we go friends. These are the down and dirty concepts to be covered in more detail in future posts.

Road 50k

Follow your normal marathon training and throw in a couple extra miles on those long runs.

When running the actually Ultra, slow down 30 seconds to 1 minute per mile, eat more, drink plenty of fluids and you’re good to go.

Trail 50k

What’s the course like? Flat and non technical or does it have hills, water, rocks and/or roots?

Answer #1 and train for what the course is gonna throw at you. Can you do a hilly, technical 50k after training on the road… yep but odds are it’s gonna really hurt.

Assuming you’re gonna be out for more than 4:30 you have to eat way more than in the marathon. 200 calories per hour might work for the marathon but 300 to 400 calories per hour keeps you moving in an Ultra.

Buy some trail shoes but you don’t need rock crushers.

Buy a pack or something to help support yourself when training or racing.

Trail 50 Miler

Learn how to slow down and learn to walk hills

Get out for 6 hours plus at a time.

Train on terrain similar to the race.

Buy trail shoes

For most, a pack becomes even more important to training and racing.

You can fix an issue during a 50 mile race. You have time. Don’t be bullheaded and push on. Stop and FIX IT.

It’s an eating contest! Oh, and drink up.

100 Miler – We’re saving this for a whole other series.

Summary: If you learn to slowdown, eat more, drink enough and train longer, you’ll be fine up to 50 milers.